The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-19

| designating their places in the shelves aud
| ranges. In the purchase of books, which
| has been the best test OF any Librarians
merit, Mrs. 0Ten displayed the soundest
| Judgment An examination of her list of
| purchases Will show this, and will show the
| truth of her statement that Gin the purchase
| of books a careful eye has been had to the
needs of the laboring people, who can not af-
ford to purchase costly reference books"
OF all the men who have served as Librarian
John b. Dillon ranks easily first, but Mrs.
OTen's work was more valuable to the library
than John b. Dillon's.
The current report of the present Librarian
shows work inferior to no preceding Libra
rian, excepting, possibly, Mrs. Oren. In
the last two years the funds available for new
books and binding amounted to $692. The
lists of additions to the library cover more
than thirty-two pages OF print. OF course,
most of the additions were secured by dons-
ton and exchange, but it takes time aud
labor to get donations and exchanges. The
actual value of books purchased and paid for,
by dealers lists, is over 81, 600. The result
was attained by patience and judgment in
the expenditure of the pittance intrusted to
her. With special appropriation of SIS the
States collection OF Indiana State laws has
been completed and uniformly bound. The
collection ofUnitedStates documents has been
properly arranged, and its deficiencies have
been supplied until il is one of the best in
the world-it is superior to the collections in
the House and Senate libraries in Wash
ington.
Let me suggest that any person who ques-
tons any statement made above shall satisfy
himself By investigation. The copy OF the
Nation quoted from may be obtained at the
readine-room of the City Library. The cata-
logues and reports mentioned may be seen
at the State Library. The library is there to
speak for itself The historical facts as to
the conduct of the library in past years may
be learned from almost any one who has
watched it during the last two decades. 1
challenge any one to make the investig alton
and then say that the women Librarians have
not been better officials than the men. What
the library needs is more money for books
and binding, and that it should have. Every
project for a change of the library system
which involves a return to male Librarians
makes an increased expense for the care of the
library; the amount to be expended for books
is not so material to these refOrmers. For
example, a bill introduced in the Senate
three days ago makes the Librarians salary
81, 800 and gives HIM four assistants at 5000
each-a total for care of the library of 1920.
The present provision for Librarian and as
sisiant is 81, $50. Tie plan proposed by this
bill is to put the library in charge OF the
State Board OF Education, and means a male
Librarian. 1t may possibly occur to our
legislators that it would be wiser to spend
that extra 81. go for books rather than offer
it as an inducement to some gentleman and
his four assistants to stand guard over our
somewhat dilapldated collection of literature.
Then, again, it may not; for it is heresy in
America to expect a man to do a WOman's
work for the same money.